Welding apparatus



March 16, 1943.

w. A. WEIGHTMAN 2,313,789

WELDING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 7, 1940 5 Sheets-She et 2 i I -INVENT0R1 ICI i0 WiLli 1mHWeiq f ATTORNEY March 16, 1943. WA. WEIGHTMAN 2,313,789

WELDING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 7, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR William Qweiqhtmon.

BY wwzlz ATTORNEY Mar ch 16, 1943. w. A. WEIGHTMAN WELDING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 7, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet R0 w M N m R E 0 V m, MT MG m 1 March 16, 1943. w. A. WEIGHTMAN 2,313,789

I WELDING APPARATUS 7 Filed Dec. 7, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORv William QWeightman ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 16, 1943 WELDlNG APPARATUS William A. Weightman, Philadelphia, Pa... assignor to Edward G. Budd Manufacturing 00., Philadelphia, Pa" a corporation of Pennsylvauia Application December 7, 1940, Serial No. 369,007

9 Claims.

This invention relates to multiple spot welding apparatus and more particularly to weldin guns adapted for use in apparatus for effecting a large number of welds in workpieces oi. irregular shape at a high rate of speed.

In spot welding a flanged seam between adjacent members it is essential that a plurality of welds be arranged with relatively close spacing since the welds are generally in tension and a plurality are required for strength. Where such a seam is located within a concave curve a great amount of difilculty is encountered in providing a plurality of welding guns side by side and sufficiently closely spaced particularly in such curved portions since the guns ordinarily would interfere with one another. Also considerable difficulty is encountered in providing suitable mechanism for clamping the work- I pieces in welding position since the clamps must be clear of interference with the welding guns. In addition, such clamping mechanism must be capable of quickly securing and releasing workpieces to the end that upon the completion of a large number of welds at high speed the apparatus may be unloaded and loaded with a new set of workpieces in a minimum of time.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a series of closely spaced pairs of welding electrodes such that they may embrace adjacent flanges to eflect closely spaced spot welds along the length thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide such electrodes arranged at such an angle that they may project into a concave curved portion, the central electrode in the middle of the concave portion being substantially normal to the line of welds at the point.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel work support so arranged with respect to a series of electrodes arranged along a line as to permit the swinging of a workpiece about a pivot into position with respect to the electrodes for welding. Still another object of the invention is to provide novel clamping means for securing workpieces within a work holder such that the workpieces may be quickly clamped in place and quickly released upon completion of the welding operation. 4

A yet further object of the invention is to provide automatic sequential operation of such a welding apparatus such that upon loading the workpieces within the work holder, the same may be quickly moved to welding position,..welds effected and thereafter quickly removed from the machine. 3

And still a further object o! the invention is to provide a welding tool adapted foralignment with a plurality ofother welding tools in stepped manner and in whichthe welding pressure is applied from opposite sides to pinch the welding electrodes against a pair or continuous flanges I and in which current is distributed to all the electrodes from a common source immediately to the rear of the electrodes.

The above and other novel features of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is expressly understood, however, that the drawings are employed for purposes oi illustration only and are not designed as a definition or the limits of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings wherein like reference characters indicate like parts:

Figure 1 illustrates a pair of stampings joined together by a longitudinal seam formed by mating inside flanges.

Figure 2 is a side elevationoi the apparatus adapted to eflect a plurality oi. welds along a flanged seam as indicated in Figure 1, the machine being shown in loaded but not welding position.

, Figure 3 is a side elevation of the apparatus illustrating the machine in welding position.

Figure 4 is a section taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 2 illustrating the manner of loading the machine.

Figure 5 is a transverse section taken substantially'on the line 5-5 of Figure 3, the section being transverse to the seam at the point where the section is taken except through the welding guns or substantially that portion which is shown enlarged inFigure 6 where the section is inclined.

Figure 6 is an enlarged elevation 01' a welding gun parts of which are shown in" section.

Figure 7 is a broken section through the axis 01' the welding gun of Figure 6 taken substantially on the line 1-1.

Figure 8 is a broken section taken through the pivots and axis of the gun of Figure 6 substantially on the line 88 of Figure 6.

Figure 9 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation illustrating a plurality of welding guns in Figure 3 adapted to eii'ect lap welds in the nose or the stamping at the upper right hand portion thereof, parts of the irame structure being removed and parts of the stampings being cut away to illustrate the detail.

Figure 10 is an enlarged top plan view oi a pair of electrodes of Figure 9, parts of which are shown-in section.

Referring to Figure '1 there is illustrated a pair of stampings l0 and I! having a longitudinal central seam l4 therebetween. The greater portion of the seam I4 is formed from a pair of mating flanges, (see Figure 5), i6 audit extending to the point 20 at the nose of the. stamplngs at which point one stamping I2 has a portion 22 overlapping a portion 24 of the stamping I. (see Figure All along the length of the flanges l8 and I8 spot welds are to be effected at fairly uniformly spaced intervals and .in the overlapped portions 22 and 24 in the nose a plurality of welds are to be effected to form a lap joint thereat. The stampings are also provided with a plurality of apertures 26, 28 adapted to engage pins in the work holder of the machine in order to secure the parts in proper juxtaposition for welding.

In the apparatus shown inFigure 2 there is a base I. having an upright column 3| upon which is pivotally mounted a work support 22, the same being pivotally mounted upon the column 3| at 34. The work support 22 is adapted to receive and hold a pair of stampings I0 and I2 such as illustrated in Figure 1. Upon the upright ii is arranged a diagonal frame member 38 from which are supported a plurality of welding guns 3! adapted to effect welds along the length of the seam formed by the flanges I4 and II. A top framework 40 is provided adapted to brake the diagonal frame 38 and support a fluid pressure distributing unit 42 to supply fluid pressure sequentially to various guns or sets of 811118.

The work support 32 comprises a base member 44 upon which is arranged a central I-beam rest 48 against which the members I2 and It and the seam flanges IS and I8 are positioned during welding. In order to secure the workpieces in proper position, the I-beam res 44 is provided with a series of pins 52 and 44 adapted to: engage the apertures 28 in the stampings I0 and I 2 so as to assureproper positioning of the parts. To hold the stampings in position after having been properly placed in the work support, a plurality of clamps 58 are provided, the clamps being operated by fluid pressure and being adapted to grip the marginal flange 5B of the stampings I0 and I2. Each of the clamps comprises an upright I having abutments 62 and 64 at the top thereof for receiving the marginal flange 58. The abutment i2 is rigidly secured to the upright II and has a face 66 especially shaped to receive the workpiece I2. The abutment member 84 likewise is provided with a face I to engage the marginal flange of the workpiece I2 and is pivoted upon the abutment member 82 at the point II as indicated. In order to positively hold the marginal flange of the workpiece I2 in proper engagement with the abutment members 62 and 4 and the faces 68 and 68 thereon, a clamping member I2 is provided, the same being slidably securedupon the pivotal abutment member 84. The clamping member 12 has an overhanging abutment I4 adapted to engage the workpiece I2 from the opposite side of the abutment faces it and it near the marginal flange so that when the member I2 is slid upon the abutment member 64 to the position shown in Figure 5, the workpiece I2 is positively secured in position and against any possible movement. As indicated in 5' Figure 5 the sliding movement of the member 12 upon the member 64 is arranged for through the bolt Ii extending through the slot- I8 in the member 12 and by reason of the slotted tail portion I! of the member I2 through which a pin 70 ll extends, the pin being secured in upstanding ears I on the abutment block 04 on either side 'of the tail portion I9.

In order to operate the clamping mechanism a fluid pressure cylinder III is secured to the upright member ID, the fluid pressure cylinder acting through a piston 82 upon a linkage l4 and toggle mechanism 48, the latter of which is pivoted at one end upon the pin ll and at the other end upon a pin II in the sliding member 12. Thus upon exerting a force upon the knee 9' of the toggle through the linkage 04 the toggle is caused to straighten out to the position indicated in dotted lines in Figure 5, sliding the clamping member 12 away from th marginal flange of the workpiece I2 and thereafter urging ,both the abutment member .4 and the slidable clamping member I2 angularly upward and out of the way so as to permit free unloading or loading of the work support. To limit the movement of the toggle when in the straightened out position, a stop 02 is provided on the slidable member I2 which is adapted to engage the toggle when in its straight position. It will thus appear that by admitting fluid pressure to the upper end of the cylinder the piston is driven downward, the toggle caused to bend and the clamping member 12 caused to slide so as to secure the marginal flange of a workpiece tightly into engagement with the abutment faces it and N. On the other hand, admission of fluid pressure to the lower end of the cylinder raises the piston-and causes the release of the marginal flange of the workpiece through the lifting of the abutment face it as well as the clamping member I2.

The work support 82, as is illustrated in Fisure 3, is adapted to be lifted around its pivot point 34 upward into an angular position so as to bring the workpieces and the flanges which are adapted to form the seam between the workpieces into position with respect to the welding electrodes 28. Such movement of the work support is effected through fluid pressure motors 94 acting between the base member 30 of the frame and lugs 98 upon the work support 22. When lifted into proper position. the outer end SI of the work support 32 is adapted to engage a latch abutment member I 00 depending from the frame 38, the abutment member carrying thereon a fluid pressure operated latch Il2 adapt-' ed to engage the end ll of the work support 32 so as to retain the same in'elevated position during the welding operation.

The welding guns it are supported from a pair of spaced bars I04 and Ill extending from the frame 36 to the abutment member I III and are provided with suitable curvature as at Ill so that the welding guns mounted thereon will be adapted to engage the curved flanges II and II of the workpieces II and I2. Th guns II are substantially identical and are supported from the bars H14 and I" upon a general U-shaped depending bracket II, the lower portion of which is composed of spaced members H2 and H4 having a spacer III between which the moving parts of the welding gun ar positioned. At the lower end of the U there is provided a pivot pin IIi extending between the members .I I2 and H4 and upon which are pivotally arranged the welding electrode holders Ill and I20, the electrode holders being nested upon the pin. and insulated therefrom and fromone another. Each of the electrode holders has an arm portion I22 suitably offset so that the side by side position of the electrode holders upon the pin III i compensated for and the electrodes I24 and I24 positioned in suitable alignment. upon the pinill (see Figures 7 and 8) are electrical connecting members I24 and III, the same Also mounted being adapted to abut against the electrod hold- "ing members H and I25 upon the planes of contact I52 and I54. At the same time,-a sleeve extension of each of the connecting members I25 and I55 together with bearing rollers I55 and I55 piston having an insulated extension I45 with a forked end pivoted to each of the welding electrode holder members H5 and I25 through a pin I 55. The piston is provided with a radially extending lug I52 to which is secured a shoulderedpin I54 extending parallel with'the axis of the cylinder. Arranged upon the pin I54 is a return spring I55 compressed between the shoulder I55 on the pin I54 and a lug I55 on the cylinder through which'the pin I54 slidably extends. Return movement of the piston I42 is limited by a stop I52 arranged in the end of the piston I42 and adapted to abut the cylinder head I54.

Electrical connections are made to the contact members I95 and I25 through the flexible connections I55 to the water cooled bus bars I55 and I15, the latter extending parallel with the bars I54 immediately above the welding electrodes.

housing a return spring 255 within the sleeve and around the rod I55, the spring bearing against the block 255 and the piston 255. Since it is desirable that the electrode tips 2 I5 be oflset from the center in order to effect welds extremely close together, relative rotation between the rod I95 and cylinder bore 252 is preferably prevented in any suitable manner as by a key between the block 255 and the rod I95, not shown however.

The welding electrodes, therefore, will appear to be arranged in two groups, one group being fed from the transformer I12 and the other group from the transformer I14. All of the welding guns of one group are permanently connected as will be appreciated across the bus bars and to the transformer. In order to effect a sequential operation of the welding guns, a fluid pressure Two transformers I12 and I14 are arranged in v the frame 55, one of which supplies the first,

eleven guns from the left-hand side of the machine as seen in Figure 2, the bus bars I 55 and I15 being broken. between the eleventh and twelfth gun and connected to the transformer I12 through connecting bars I15 and I15, the bars I15 and I15 being connected to the bus bars I55 and I15 at their opposite ends so that equal electrical paths of flow of welding current to any pair of guns from the transformer are provided. The other transformer I14 is connected through a similar pair of bus bars I55 and III extending from the twelfth welding electrode around the curve and .terminating at their ends at I52 and I53. Opposite ends of these bus bars are connected to the transformer I14 through connecting conductors I54 and I55.

In order to effect a plurality of lap welds in the nose of the workpiece formed by the stampings I5 and I2, a plurality of welding electrodes I55, eight in number as is illustrated, are mounted upon a supporting member I95 carried by the work support. These electrodes are connected by flexible jumpers'I9I to the ends of the bus bars I52 and I52, the guns being paired, one gun being connected to one bar and an adjacent gun being connected to the other bar. To effect welds through these guns, two welds are made in series.

For this purpose, conducting bridging blocks as:

are supported from the fr e 55 upon a bracket I94 and are adapted to substantially fit the internal contounof the lapped portions 22 and 24 of ,the workpieces I5 and I2 when the work holder is in elevated position as illustrated in Figures 3 distributor valve 2I2 is provided, the same bein driven by a motor 2 I 4 and being adapted to supply fluid pressure sequentially to the various welding guns. With the distribution of fluid pressure to each gun welding current is supplied to the welding transformers by means of a synchronized welding current control switch 2I5 also driven by the motor 2I4, welding current being applied to the bus bars each time that a welding gun is supplied with fluid pressure from the distributor valve 2 I2. The distributor valve is composed of a casing as shown having secured around its exterior a plurality of valves such as 2 I 5, which valves are bolted to seats 225 on the casing, the valves being removed from a number of the seats in order to more clearly illustrate the invention. The particular structure of the distributor valve does not form a part of the present invention but may have the same functional operation as that illustrated in my copending applicatio Serial No. 143,600, flled May 19, 1937, now Patent No. 2,229,993, January-28. 1941. It will be appreciated that each of the valves 2" is connected to the cylinders I of, a welding gun 95 or to a pair of cylinders 252 of the welding electrodes I55. If desired, one valve may supply fluid pressure to a welding gun of the group supplied with current from the welding transformer I12 and simultaneously to a welding gun or pair of electrodes supplied with welding current from the transformer I14. By thus using a common valve for both groups, the entire set of welds are effected in the time of operation of a single group and if the welds are made at a rate not greater than one per second, a complete set of welds will be completed in the course of eleven seconds.

The operation of the apparatus is to a large extent automatic. Upon the placing of a pair of workpieces I5 and I2 in the work holder, a manual valve 222 is operated to supply fluid pressure to the upper end of the cylinders so as to cause the fluid pressure operated clamps to grip and securely hold the work in place. Thereafter, the manual ,valve 224 may be operated to supply fluid pressure through the pipe line 225 to the work holder elevating cylinders 94, thus raising the work support into the position shown in Figure 3. Upon the work holder arriving inwelding position. the work holder engages a limit switch 225 which immediately energizes the motor 2I4 setting the distributor valve 2I2 into operation. The welds are thereupon sequentially eflected and upon completion of the last weld, the distributor switch moves toa valve such as 2 I5, which supplies fluid pressure to a latch actuating motor 255 opening valve 224 so as to supply fluid pressure to the upper end of the work elevating cylinders 84 to thereupon lower the work. At the same time the motor 2 is cut oi! and the distributor valve thereby stopped. Release oi the workpieces is then eflected through the operation of the manual valve 222 which supplies fluid pressure to the underside of the piston in the fluid pressure motor 80 to release the clamps thereby permitting removal of the workpieces.

There is thus provided a multiple spot welding apparatus capable of eifecting a plurality of closely spaced welds along a flanged seam at a rapid rate, and in which rapid loading and unloading of the workpieces is provided for. Further the apparatus is such as is adapted to reach into relatively close quarters as where the seam extends along the inside of a concavity.-

Though a single embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto, but may be embodied in various mechanical forms and combinations as may be desired. As various changes in construction and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, reference will.

be had to the appended claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

While the appended claims are outstandingly directed to the individual welding guns, other features of the'invention constitute the subject matter of the inventors application "Serial No. 418,477 for Welding apparatus," filed November 10, 1941, as a division of the present application.

What is claimed is:

1. A welding gun adapted for arrangement with other closely spaced similar guns, said gun comprising a pair of spaced parallel plates, a pair of welding electrode supporting brackets being pivotally connected to and between said plates. said brackets having interacting welding electrodes located beyond the edges of said plates. a fluid pressure cylinder and piston for each oi said electrodes, said cylinders being pivoted on pins extending transversely between'said plates and a pivot upon each of said welding electrodes connected with one of said pistons.

2. In a welding gun, a pair of substantially parallel plates, a pair of pivotpins extending transversely to and between said plates at a dennite distance. a welding electrode pivotally carried between said plates cache of said pins having its electrode tip located beyond the adjacent edges-of said plates, a motor members telescoplngly extensible with respect to each other, one of said members being pivoted to said plates by the other of said pins and the second member having pivotal connection to said welding electrode.

3. In a welding gun a pair of relatively closely spaced substantially parallel plates, a pivot pin extending. transversely through said plates. a pair of electrically conductive members insulated from one another and from the pin, mounted upon said pin and arranged side by side, said electrically conductive members having as a part thereof a cylindrical bearing surface, a pair of welding electrodes pivotaily mounted upon each oi said electrically conductive members about said cylindrical bearing surface.

comprising two,

. 4. In a. welding gun a pair of relatively closely spaced substantially parallel plates, a pivot pin extending transversely through said plates, a pair of electrically conductive members insulated from one. another and from the pin, mounted upon said pin and arranged side by side, each of said electrically conductive members having a cylindrical bearing surface and a radial flange forming a contact face, a welding electrode pivotally mounted upon each electrically conductive member about said cylindrical bearing portion,

said welding electrode having a radial contact face adapted to engage the face of its respective electrically conductive member.

5 5. A welding gun comprising a support, a pivot pin on said support, a pair of coaxial sleeves mounted'upon said pivot pin and being insulated from said pin and from each other, said sleeve; being electrically conductive, and a pair of electrode members, one electrode member being pivoted upon one of said sleeves and the other electrode member being pivoted upon the other oi said sleeves, said electrode members being insulated from each other, each sleeve and the electrode pivoted thereon being in electrical engagement.

6. A welding gun comprising a support, a pivot pin on said support, a pair of coaxial sleeves mounted upon said pivot pin and being insulated from said pin and from each other, said sleeves being electrically conductive, and a pair of electrode members, one electrode member being pivoted upon one of said sleeves and the otherelectrode member being pivoted upon the other of said sleeves, said electrode members being insulated from each other, each sleeve having a circumferential flange in electrical end bearing engagement with the electrode pivoted thereon.

7. In a welding gun, a support, a pair of weld- 0 ing electrodes pivoted to said support for pivotal movement toward and away from each other. electrode actuating means for each of said electrodes, each actuating means including two elements, movable with respect to each other, one of said elements being pivoted to the adjacent electrode and the other of said elements being pivoted to said support, and means for supplying energy to said actuating means for forcibly moving said elements in a direction away from one another so as to exert a pressure on the electrodes.

8. In a welding gun having an electrode, a substantially rigid support, a pivot connection between said support and said'elcctrode, electrode actuating means comprising two members teiescopingly guided with respect to each other, the one member being pivoted to said support, said other member having an extension secured thereto and electrically insulated therefrom, and a pivot connection between said extension and electrode at a point spaced from the pivot connection between said electrode and said support.

9. In a welding gun support, a pair oi welding electrodes pivoted to said support for pivotal movement to and from each other. electrode actuating means for each of said electrodes. each actuating means comprising a motor secured to said support and operative to move one of said electrodes toward the other.

WILLIAM A. WEIGH'I'MAN. 

